William painter



(No Model.)

' Patented May I6, 1899. W. PAINTER.

CLOSURE FOR SEALING BOTTLES.

(Application filed Dec. 2, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

- M aL/AM AINTER 6y Z No. 625,055. Patented May I6, 1899..

W. PAINTER. CLOSURE FDR SEALING BUTTLES.

(Apphcstxon filed Dec 2 1898) 2 Sheetg--Sheet Z,

No Model.)

wfor VV/LL/A PAINTER wL .7 in: 4 A

UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

YVILLIAM PAINTER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE CROWVN, CORK AND SEAL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CLOSURE FOR SEALING BOTTLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,055, dated May 16, 1899.

Application filed December 2,1898. Serial No. 698,121. (Nomoclelrl To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PAINTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bal timore, Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closures for Sealing Bottles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to closures for sealing bottles; and it is designed to provide for the ready and easy discharge of the contents of the bottle without the removal of the entire closure.

In closures for single use and, indeed, in all the various forms of closures for bottles heretofore known, except those formed with spring-valves or valves which drop into the bottle in process of opening, it has been necessary in order to practically discharge the contents of the bottle .to displace the whole stopper or closure, and this in most cases involves the use of some special tool, generally known as an opener, the amount of force required for their removal being more or less considerable. Especially is this true in the form of closure known as the crown-cork, made of sheet metal, with a corrugated flange locked to the head of a bottle, in which there exists difficulty of removal without the exercise of considerable force or some special appliance or opener. This particular form of closure also by reason of its metallic quality resists rupture and renders the contents of the bottle practically inaccessible except by the removal of the whole crown. In my invention I provide a convenient means for opening the bottle, so as to practically offer no obstacle to the free discharge of its contents and without necessitating the removal of the entire sealing device or closure and at the. same time avoid the necessityvfor any special form of instrument, it being entirely practicable to open the bottle by the use of the blunt end of a lead-pencil or any rigid object at hand which is not too large to pass within the mouth of the bottle.

In carryingout my invention I construct the closure of whatever form with a displaceable or removable part which may be formed in part integral with and connected to the closure, or it may be separate therefrom and may be placed above, underneath, or within an opening in the closure, this opening being sufficiently large for the certain and easy outflow of the contents of the bottle when the displaceablepart is depressed or removed to leave the passage free and unobstructed. This displaceable part is distinguished in its structure, conditions, and design from removable portions heretofore provided oncans or used on bungs and the like in which there is a weakened line which may be cut for removal or ruptured for venting. It diifers materially from sealing devices having a part adapted to be displaced for the purpose of facilitating the removal of the stopper proper to allow of the discharge of the contents of the bottle, as myinventi-on requires an opening of suflicient capacity to freely discharge the contents of the bottle, and to this end the displaceable part is of such form and nature that upon depression or removal an unobstructed passage will be left through the closure. It is also removed from closures having spring valves and valves which upon opening for discharge drop into and become immersed in the contents of thebottle.

- My invention relates mainly to closures for single use, in whichthe entire closure is replaced by a new one upon refilling the bottle; but it is equally applicable to any form of closure in which a part or the whole may be used an indefinite number of times. In con:

nection with this form of closureI use a sealor protect the metal of the closure from 1contact with the contents of the bottle. I prefer to seal said joint by the application of some resinous, pitchy, or waxy substance in melted form or as a solution, such as will I harden when cold, or by evaporation of the Inasmuch as the cork disks are not, owing to their porosity, competent either to seal the joint in the closure or to protect the metal of the closure, I in some cases make the cork sealing-film in the form of an annulus, in which form it will act perfectly as a sealing medium between the closure and the bottle in which case the resinous, pitchy, or waxy substance is applied to the underside of the closure to seal the joint therein and may extend'to lie between the closure and the cork annulus, where protection of the metal of the closure is essential.

In some cases where the liquid to be confined will not be injuriously affected thereby, I use as a sealing medium an impervious compressible substance, such as sheet-rubber, sufficiently thin to be easily ruptured by depressing the displaceable part of theolosure, in which case the disk of rubber serves the triple purpose of making a seal between the closure and the bottle, sealing the joint in the closure and protecting the metal from contact with the contents of the bottle.

I do not confine myself to the use of cork or rubber as a sealing medium, but may use any compressible elastic substance suitable for the purpose.

I do not confine myself to the application of the resinous, pitchy, or waxy substance directly to the metal of the closure, where such application is made upon the under side, but in some cases apply a disk of bibulous paper saturated with resin, pitch, or wax between the cork sealing-disk and the closure, which will similarly protect the metal of the closure.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show a plan and sectional view ofa crown in the process of making one form of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a section of this form of the invention complete as applied to a bottle. Fig. 4: is a view showing the sealing medium ruptured and the displaceable part depressed to form the discharge-opening. Figs. 5 to 15, inclusive, show modifications.

I have shown one form of the invention in Fig. 3 as applied to a crown attached to the bottle. The flange of the crown or cap, which is locked to the head of the bottle by its corrugations, is shown at a and the depressible part or flap at b, and beneath it is a sealingdisk 0. In making this application of the invention I take the crown or cap as now made and depress the center thereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and then cut the metal through, except where a web j", Figs. 1 and 6, is left intact to form practically a hinge. pression of the center of the crown stretches the metal. I then flatten out the depressed and stretched center, with the result that a flap is formed of larger diameter than the opening from which the metal is cut originally, and the edge of the flap overlaps the edge of the opening, as shown at g, Fig. 3. Thus a bearing is provided for the flap 0n the underside of the disk, so that it sustains the internal pressure, but is free to be depressed by pressure applied from above. This method of connecting the flap integrally with the cap or closure from which it is cut constitutes an inexpensive means of making the flap overlap the opening and provides a flexible hinge of sufficient tenacity to prevent the flap from falling into the bottle when depressed and of sufficient rigidity to resist the action of liquids when poured from the bottle. In order 'to make the closure tight at its contact with the bottle and prevent the escape of the internal pressure at that point, I use a disk of cork, constituting a sealing medium, as shown at c, Fig. 3, this being'fitted to the interior of the crown and tightly compressed between the crown and upper edge of the bottle in the operation of securing it to the bottle. This sealing medium I preferably make of cork; but it may be of any impervious material of a flexible and compressible nature and capable of being ruptured under pressure from above. When it is desired to open the bottle, instead of removing the cap entirely, as is now the case, the center flap is forced inwardly, rupturing the seal at the contact of the flap with the crown or cap, thus making a permanent opening through the cap and seal of substantially the same size as the flap, as shown in Fig. 4, this opening being preferably of about the same diameter as the inside of the bottleneck. The contents of the bottle may then be poured out through the opening, rendering unnecessary the removal of the entire cap or closure. This cap in such forms as have a displaceable part not integrally-connected to the main closure or cap may be removable for recapping and refilling, or it may in some forms be made a fixture of the bottle, and in such cases the displaceable part alone will require to be removed.

In order to facilitate the depression of the flap 'or movable part, I provide an indentation d, Figs. 3, 6, 11, and 12, directly opposite the web f. This serves not only to indicate the point where pressure may be applied, but to receive the end of any instrument which maybe used to depress the flap. This indentation may be located centrally or at any other point.

In Fig. 5 the metal cap has the sealing medium d" between it and the upper edge of the bottle in ring or annular form, while a separate sealing medium 0, of a resinous, pitchy, or waxy substance, extendsacross the whole The de ICC closure, sealing the joint formed by the displaceable flap, this sealing medium being easily ruptured on the depression of the movable center of the cap. In this case the separate medium for sealing the joint in the closure need not be compressible, but should be impervious.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a crown with a flap the same size as the opening, the unsevered part facting as a hinge. In this form the metal of the flap is not stretched to overlap the opening made in the cap or closure, and the flap may be either pushed in or lifted up. This form is designed for use in bottles where the liquid is not underpressure, and consequently there is no necessity for providing resistance to pressure, as isdone in Figs. 1, 2, and 3; but by reason of the open joint formed by severing the metal it is here also necessary to cover the displaceable part with some sealing medium in order to provide a perfect closure for the contents of the bottle.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a modification in which the central part of the closure is cut through except at the points it, where the metal is left uncut, and the cut portions are turned up slightly, as in'Fig. 8, which is a section of Fig. 7 on the dotted line 00 m, and in this form the central part b is readily displaced by'severing the uncut portions h with a knife or other instrument.

In Fig. 9 the closure is shown with the displaceable part raised and the sealing-diskfollowing its contour, the central part being cut through substantially as shown in Fig. 7, leaving one or more uncut portions 7t, adapted to be severed when required, and in this form it will be observed that when a knife or other sharp instrument is used to sever the uncut portion of the removable part the same operation will sever that portion of the seal extending above the level of the outer edge of the cap, and thus provide a permanent and complete opening.

In Fig. 10 I have shown an opening formed in the center of thecap and a separate piece I), having a flange and adapted to be inserted within the opening and'to be forced inward to rupture the seal. The separate piece I) may, however, be made in the form of a flat disk without a flange.

In Fig. 11 is shown an application of the invention to a closure fitted to the throat of a bottle, as in Letters Patent granted to me May 28, 1895,. No. 540,072, and in this form the sealing-disk c is supported upon a shoulder e and the metal closure is made cup shape and expanded against the sealing-disk within a groove,being provided with a displaceable part b, as in Figs. 3 and 4.

In Fig. 12 another similar application of the invention is shown in which an annular packing 0 is located between the throat of the bottle and the hollow plug-like closure inserted within the throat, which is expanded to hold the closure in place and make a gas-tight joint. In the application of the invention to this form of closure I form a displaceable center 12, as in Figs. 3 and 4, and separately seal the joint by a resinous, pitchy, or waxy material either inside or out, as shown at 70.

Fig. 13 is a view like Fig. 12, in which the sealing medium is modified and made cupshaped in order to seal at its contact with the bottle, as well as to seal the joint around the disk 19.

Figs. 14 and 15 are bottom views of modifications of the method of securing an integrally-formed flap or cover from being displaced by internal pressure of the contents of the bottle. In Fig. 14 the narrow tongue of metal f, connecting the'fiap or cover to the main closure, is alone stretched or extended so as to make the opposite edge of the flap overlap the opening. In Fig. 15 one or more projections P are stamped or stretched out of the edge of the flap, so as to overlap the opening, thus offering the necessary resistance to internal pressure. Similar projections may instead be formed on the edge of the opening in the cap or closure to serve the same purpose, as shown in dotted lines P, Fig. 15.

It will be understood that the various forms of seals may be used with the various forms of closures as they may be found desirable or specially applicable.

I claim- 1. A metallic-closure for bottles constructed with an opening through it sufficient for freely discharging the contents of the bottle, having a movable flap in integral connection therewith, said flap being adapted to be displaced, and a sealing medium beneath the flap adapted to be ruptured, substantially as described.

2. A metallic closure for bottles, constructed with an opening through it sufficient for freely discharging the contents of the bottle, having a flap integral with the closure extending beneath the opening and having an unattached portion bearing on the under face and a sealing medium, substantially as described.

3. A bottle-stopper consisting of a hardmetal cap adapted to be locked or secured to the head of a bottle, an interposed disk of sealing material between the cap and bottle top, an opening in the metal cap for discharging said bottle, and a displaceable disk of metal forming a continuation of the cap and in substantially the same plane, closing said opening, all the parts being so arranged that the sealing medium may be ruptured to produce anopening for the discharge of the contents by the downward depression of the movable disk, substantially as described. 7

4. A metallic closure for bottles constructed with an opening through it sufficient for freely discharging the contents of the bottle, said opening being closed by a part displaceable by bending inward and capable of retaining its inwardly-bent position, in combination with a rupturable sealing. medium acting to make a gas-tight joint between the me- I to tallic closure and the bottle and a sealing medium for the joint around the edges of said displaceable part, substantially as described.

5. A metallic closure for bottles constructed with an opening through it sufficient for freely discharging the contents of the bottle and a flap placed underneath and covering the opening combined with a sealing medium consisting of a disk beneath the flap to seal 

